Crash of a chemical tanker and a freighter near southwestern Japan

TOKYO (Reuters) – A Japanese chemical tanker has crashed into a cargo ship off the coast of southwestern Japan, the coast guard said on Saturday.
No one was injured among the six Japanese crew members aboard Ryoshinmaru, the tanker, and the 14 Chinese crew members aboard the Belize-registered freighter, Xin Hai 99.
Saturday morning’s accident was under investigation and the two vessels were anchored in the area, about 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) offshore from Wakayama prefecture, according to a ranger official. Kushimoto coasts.
Oil leaked from the freighter’s engine area, which initially began to leak, but was brought under control, the official said.
The tanker had left the port of Kobe to pick up chemicals at another Japanese port and had no chemicals on board at the time of the accident.
Divers were dispatched to the scene and GPS records were searched to determine the cause of the accident. The Chinese crew told the coastguard that the tanker suddenly veered towards them, the official said.